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The Civil Status of the Shudras: a thread
(extracts from "Who Were the Shudras?" by Babasaheb Ambedkar; translated from the original Dharmashashtras, Brahmanas, Smritis, etc.)
(extracts from "Who Were the Shudras?" by Babasaheb Ambedkar; translated from the original Dharmashashtras, Brahmanas, Smritis, etc.)
In Babasaheb's own words, the "gist" of the laws "made against the Shudras by the Brahmanic lawgivers" can be summarized as follows:
1) The Shudra was to take the last place in the social order.
2) That the Shudra was impure and therefore no sacred act must be done within his +
1) The Shudra was to take the last place in the social order.
2) That the Shudra was impure and therefore no sacred act must be done within his +
sight, or within his hearing.
3) That the Shudra is not to be respected in the same way as the other classes.
4) That the life of the Shudra is of no value, and anybody may kill him, having to pay little to no compensation.
5) That the Shudra must not acquire knowledge, and +
3) That the Shudra is not to be respected in the same way as the other classes.
4) That the life of the Shudra is of no value, and anybody may kill him, having to pay little to no compensation.
5) That the Shudra must not acquire knowledge, and +
it is a sin to give him education.
6) That a Shudra must not acquire property, and a Brahmin can take his property at his pleasure.
7) That a Shudra cannot hold office under the state.
8) THAT THE DUTY AND SALVATION OF THE SHUDRA LIES IN SERVING THE HIGHER CLASSES.
6) That a Shudra must not acquire property, and a Brahmin can take his property at his pleasure.
7) That a Shudra cannot hold office under the state.
8) THAT THE DUTY AND SALVATION OF THE SHUDRA LIES IN SERVING THE HIGHER CLASSES.
9) That the higher classes must not intermarry with the Shudra, but can keep a Shudra woman as a concubine if they so please.
10) That THE SHUDRA IS BORN IN SERVILITY AND REMAIN IN SERVILITY FOREVER.
10) That THE SHUDRA IS BORN IN SERVILITY AND REMAIN IN SERVILITY FOREVER.
You're going to see a lot of Dharmasutras (as sources) in the extracts that follow, so it does one well to know they are a "genre of Sanskrit theological texts, and refers to the treatises of Hinduism on dharma".
-- Dharma is caste-dependent, and therefore innately casteist --
-- Dharma is caste-dependent, and therefore innately casteist --
How many Shudra characters are mentioned in the Mahabharat or Ramayana?
The golden age of Hinduism is that only for the upper castes, because they got free, unconditional servitude from the Shudras: remember that.
Also, in relation to the above, Google: Shambuka.
The golden age of Hinduism is that only for the upper castes, because they got free, unconditional servitude from the Shudras: remember that.
Also, in relation to the above, Google: Shambuka.
The chief of the above are as follows:
"Shudra is a servant of another, and cannot be anything else" ~ Aitareya, Panchavirnsa Brahmanas
"A Traivarnika [i.e. Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya] shall never study the Veda on a burial ground [...]. A Shudra and an outcaste are included
"Shudra is a servant of another, and cannot be anything else" ~ Aitareya, Panchavirnsa Brahmanas
"A Traivarnika [i.e. Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya] shall never study the Veda on a burial ground [...]. A Shudra and an outcaste are included
by the term." ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"If a student and Shudra woman merely look at each other, the recitation of the Veda must be interrupted" ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"Food given by [...] must not be eaten [...], nor that given by a Shudra" ~ Vashishta Dharmasutra
"If a student and Shudra woman merely look at each other, the recitation of the Veda must be interrupted" ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"Food given by [...] must not be eaten [...], nor that given by a Shudra" ~ Vashishta Dharmasutra
"That Brahmana whose stomach does not contain the food of a Shudra is the worthiest receptacle of all. If a Brahmana dies with the food of a Shudra in his stomach. he will become a village pig in his next life, or be born in the family of that Shudra." ~ Vashishta Dharmasutra
"A Brahmin who performs a sacrifice for a Shudra should not be invited to dine with other Brahmins at a Shraddha ceremony, for his company shall destroy all merit that may otherwise be obtained from such a dinner" ~ Manusmriti
"A Shudra is not worthy on the ground of his wealth or knowledge, no matter how high they are. It is only on the grounds of his age, and that too only if he has attained the tenth decade of his life, that he becomes worthy of respect, and not before." ~ Manusmriti
"With whatever limb an inferior insults or hurts his superior in caste, of that limb the king shall cause him to be deprived." ~ Vishnusmriti
"If a low-born man through pride give instruction to a member of the highest caste concerning his duty, let the King order hot oil +
"If a low-born man through pride give instruction to a member of the highest caste concerning his duty, let the King order hot oil +
to be poured into his mouth." ~ Vishnusmriti
"If he listens intentionally to a recitation of the Veda, his ears shall be filled with molten tin or lac. If he recites Vedic texts, his tongue shall be cut out. If he remembers them, his body shall be split in twain" ~ Gautama DS
"If he listens intentionally to a recitation of the Veda, his ears shall be filled with molten tin or lac. If he recites Vedic texts, his tongue shall be cut out. If he remembers them, his body shall be split in twain" ~ Gautama DS
"One may not give advice to a Shudra, nor the remains of food, or of butter that has been offered" ~ Manusmriti
"A Brahmin may take possession of the goods of a Shudra with the perfect peace of mind, for, since nothing at all belongs to this Shudra as his own, he is one whose +
"A Brahmin may take possession of the goods of a Shudra with the perfect peace of mind, for, since nothing at all belongs to this Shudra as his own, he is one whose +
property may be taken away by his master." ~ Manusmriti
"TO SERVE THE OTHER THREE CASTES IS ORDAINED FOR THE SHUDRA. THE HIGHER THE CASTE WHICH HE SERVES, THE GREATER IS THE MERIT." ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"One duty the Lord assigned to a Shudra - service to the aforementioned+
"TO SERVE THE OTHER THREE CASTES IS ORDAINED FOR THE SHUDRA. THE HIGHER THE CASTE WHICH HE SERVES, THE GREATER IS THE MERIT." ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"One duty the Lord assigned to a Shudra - service to the aforementioned+
classes without grudging." ~ Apastamba Dharmasutra
"The Shudra belings to the fourth caste, which has only one birth, and serves the higher castes; from them he shall seek to obtain his livelihood. He shall use their cast-off shoes, and eat the remnants of their food."
"The Shudra belings to the fourth caste, which has only one birth, and serves the higher castes; from them he shall seek to obtain his livelihood. He shall use their cast-off shoes, and eat the remnants of their food."
~ Gautama Dharmasutra
[for the three upper castes/Traivarnikas, the second birth is through the investiture of the girdle / aka Upanayana]
"Even if freed by his master, the Shudra is not released from servitude, for this is innate in him" ~ Manusmriti
[for the three upper castes/Traivarnikas, the second birth is through the investiture of the girdle / aka Upanayana]
"Even if freed by his master, the Shudra is not released from servitude, for this is innate in him" ~ Manusmriti
"Merely to serve the Brahmins is declared to be the most excellent occupation of a Shudra, for if he does anything other than this, it profits him nothing". ~ Manusmriti.
-- end of thread --
-- end of thread --
